For as long as I could remember, I had always been somewhat of a loner.
I couldn't say I had any close friends. Those people I knew were really just humans who I interacted with on a regular basis.
There was however one guy who seemed to take me under his wing. His name is Jack and we work together as car detailers. Jack had been working there for 6 years when I started and thought he was a player. The company that employs us, also employ 6 women, mostly as eye-candy. Jack and I were around for the heavy lifting that was required on occasion.
I had no illusions that I was gifted as an academic, so after I completed high school, I found myself a position as a cleaner in the local shopping center. This worked well with my OCD, as I had been a 'neat freak' all my life. The pay was what you might call poor, but as I still lived with my parents, it was more than enough for me.
After about 3 years, I started to become restless. I was getting bored with just going from one end of the center to the other, over and over again. As I was perusing the local notice board in the shopping center one day, I spotted a card that advertised a position for a car detailer. No experience was needed as training was provided, but a good eye for detail was a must have. So I applied.
At the interview, the company owner asked about my reasons for applying and I explained how I was bored with my current position and I wanted some variety. When he realized I was the cleaner at the shopping center, he commented about how he noticed just how clean the center always looked. He said I could start in 2 weeks.
I enjoyed the varied work that came with all the different vehicles we cleaned. I tended to hang around with Jack, mostly because all women intimidated me. I could never get comfortable enough with them to even hold a conversation of more than a dozen or so words. So I guess by default, Jack became my best friend. Probably only friend.
After I worked there for 2 years, I had received 3 pay rises. I was now making enough money to apply for a loan to purchase my own home. The money I had saved over the past 5 years more than covered the down payment.
About 8 months after I moved into my home, I arose one morning to find a stray dog curled up at my back door. He looked like he hadn't eaten for a week, so I gave him some water and some sausage I had, then took him to the local vet. There was no microchip, so I decided then and there to adopt him. I named him Fred.
After 3 days, I brought Fred home and we bonded with each other. He and I became best of mates. Every day after work I would take Fred for a walk around the dog park at the end of my street. This activity lead to me meeting the woman I would marry.
Jill walked around the dog park every day, even though she didn't own a dog. She seemed to piquet Freds' interest, because he started to follow her. After 2 weeks, Fred bailed her up one day and wouldn't let her pass. He didn't act menacing, but when she tried to go in a different direction, he would move and stand in front of her.
When I saw what was happening, I ran to grab hold of Fred and apologize for his behavior. I have no idea how we managed to go to dinner that night. I was always terrified of talking to women, let alone asking one of them out.
The next day at work, I asked Jack for some advice about how I should proceed with forming a relationship with Jill. Luckily for me, one of the girls overheard me and dragged me away from Jack toward the other women. Also luckily for me, I listened to them...
